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Topic: Speak to me of the Lower Kanc (Read 919 times)

My ignorance of climbing areas is often embarrassing and this past year my trips out have seemed to average once every 2.4 months. Pitiful. Kinda makes each day feel off the couch.

So Troy suggested Lost Horizon last weekend. Where? Part of Sundown? Where's that? He could have been talking about Rhode Island for all I knew.

But it was empty, the rock was awesome, and Troy was even psyched to lead some.(Now that last doesn't seem so odd, but ... a. I'm a lead hog, b. Troy's an excellent belayer, and c. he doesn't always seem to enjoy leading when he's doing it. Which is why I get to lead a lot. If I'm the one holding the tube, I'm fidgeting and trying to push the rope and leader up the climb. I'm muttering "how hard can THAT be? why doncha put a piece THERE? what's taking so long?". And then I get up to that spot and have to admire his gear choices and wonder how to follow through that spot without hanging. And he's a big guy. "I wouldn't go so far as to call the brother fat - he's got a weight problem. What's a brother to do; he's Samoan." No, actually he's just built like a brick house and I'm always impressed with what he gets up clean. And he's happy, too, at least after the fact.

So anyway, we do those 5.4s (When Dads Run Free is a super-good climb!), couple of 7s (I think Punk Rock had the coolest traverse moves).And I keep looking at the pin smack-dab in the middle of Kennel Boy whispering "I'm only 5.9, what's the worst that can happen?".

What an excellent little pitch. Takes great gear and it's practically evenly parsed into different climbing styles - start with a roofy thing (really an aręte), move to cool face holds, get the best finger crack for 10-12', and then stare at the slab finish thinking WTF!, no way this is 5.9. I get there, scratch my nuts for a bit, look down at Troy who says "I think you stay left". OK, sorta half-hearted effort - plop, back onto the ledge. Dammit. Look at the feet again, see a little lip way out left and Bob's yer uncle were at the tree. Whoohoo! (The best part is that the Handren guide's got a typo and calls this 10a and since I max out at 5.9 that's what I'm callin' it.)

This whole Lower Kanc area seems huge and confusing, lots of climbs listed, not many starred.So give your recommendations, your don't-bothers.Maybe 4-5 climbs at each little area that are must-do. I can tell "Eyeless in Gaza" is a POS, but who likes "Venus Vermiculate"? (grin) Lay it on me; maybe I'll get motivated to actually get out every 2.2 months.

I've spent some time at Lost Ledge too. There's some really easy stuff (5.2-3) up to some moderates and harder moderates. I keep wanting to get back up there but I may be looking at your 2.4 month interval with next weeks surgery.

If you do go to Lost Ledge, whatever you do, do NOT follow the directions in the Handren guide. It'll lead to a straight uphill bushwhack. I left some directions on Mountain Project...

DLottmann

Take a Giant Step is good, oh ya and Face Dances is a pretty fun easy .6 out there... And you should visit Lost Ledge if you haven’t already. “Found Arch” and “Washboard” are fun routes, along with many others.

If you climb em’ let me know what you think. Joe Cote went out there with me Fall 2004 and gave me the run-down. After checking with Joe and the new route book at IME we returned a week later and bolted Washboard (2 bolts on a 100 foot 5.6 slab with one gear placement), unknown to us had been basically soloed by Bayard with a client 4 days earlier. I immediately spoke with Bayard and he thought the 2 bolts made sense on a 5.6 slab so they stayed. Definitely a great Fall location!

Dale - I also highly recommend Found Ledge. yes, it has a bit of an uphill approach, but the payoff is quite nice. there are a lot of nice bolted climbs on the Little Slab, a very nice trad one on the far right of the cliffband and a couple of easy slab climbs on the far left. in addition there are all the harder crack and face climbs on the Lumberjack Wall, just left of the Little Slab. you can easily spend a day there. it's especially nice in the fall.

nope, I meant what I said... check it out. if you haven't been there, you're missing some nice climbing. about a 20 minute hike from the Kanc. the Perez's and I spent quite a lot of time up there a couple of years ago.

I have never lost ,lost ledge and never found, found ledge . Both places are pretty cool. Woodchuck has some cool routes but may be a bit dirty,the first pitch of The route of all evil to the 2nd pitch of Deadline is good also on the upper left side there is a small cliff with some nice routes.